Song: Fight for You by Thea van Seijen (Thea is a seriously talented German singer. I don't know much about her but this song was on the soundtrack to Afro Samurai 2, lyrics in italics as usual)
Summary: AU. Best friends fight for each other. They make sacrifices for each other. They'd do anything for each other. They go to extreme lengths to protect each other. Steve is about to make one of the biggest sacrifices of his life for Soda. Why? Because that's just what best friends do.
Disclaimer: You know pretty damn well that Ms. Hinton owns this, not me.
It was a jumping. Pretty typical in Greaser/Soc conflicts. Now, I've been jumped plenty of times in my 16 year old life, and let me tell you, it is not fun. Of course, I haven't been jumped recently, because those Soc's know that behind all of my good looks, boyish charm, and reckless grins, Sodapop Curtis will not hesitate to fuck you up. Hell, in all of my memories of being jumped, I can't remember the last time I ever lost, because I'd either go all Popeye the sailor man on them and unleash my hellfire-and-brimstone-like wrath or someone would come and help me. But today…today… I lost.
It was when Steve and I were on our way back from the DX. There was nothing special about it, really. Steve and I were just chatting about little nothings until, out of nowhere, he asked me a serious question.
"Hey, Soda."
"Yeah, buddy?"
"Do you think Soc's get along as good as we greasers do?"
I gave him a puzzled look. You have to admit, that question was a little out there, especially coming from Steve, who'd rarely show any sign of sadness or emotion other than when he laughed or got angry.
"Ummm, what's with the question?"
"Because," he replied. "I rarely see Soc's have good relationships with each other. They always seem to be too worried about their own insecurities. I've seen Bob and Randy be good friends, but Bob's dead now. In school," he stopped to light a cigarette. "I see them always hanging around and everything, but I never see any of them real close unless it's a guy and his broad."
"Well," I replied, although I have to admit, it took me a while to think of what to say to that. "They seem to get along real well when 5 of 'em are beating on one greaser."
"Seriously Soda." I looked at his face to see he was dead serious. He had a look of pure curiosity sprinkled with a look of wonder.
"Well, I guess… I guess they never have to go through any troubles to bring them together."
"What?"
"They always seem to get what they want, so I guess the moment never comes for them to prove to each other who's real and who's not.
And, as if by some extreme coincidence, the headlights of that dreaded Corvair flashed. I turned around to see it was 2 cars behind us. I wasn't scared much, because as I said, I'll fuck them up, and with Steve here to help, they might as well be headed on the shortcut to the ER. But I jinxed myself, I guess, as 4 of them filed out of each car (8 Soc's in total) and headed toward us. We could have ran, but let's face it, we were too proud. We just kept walking until they cut us off by running in front of us and stopping in our pathway. It was an intense staredown until I decided to move this along.
"Now before we even start to fight or anything, I wanna know one thing: Does it really take 8 fucking Soc's to do this?"
"You may think we're here to jump you, grease, but your wrong."
"What?" Steve said out of annoyance. "Then what do you want? This ain't your side of town, so don't start the funny stuff."
"We're here for answers, grease," said Randy, Bob's best friend. I was shocked to see him there, considering his big epiphany seemed genuine.
"Wait, what happened to all that 'no more violence' stuff, Randy?"
He looked at us and chuckled as he looked at the floor.
"I'm a compulsive liar, now shut up and answer the question: Are you Sodapop Curtis?"
"No shit, Sherlock," I told him. "You know that already."
"And Ponyboy killed Bob. Ponyboy, YOUR brother. Bob was my friend, you know. And Pony killed him. Did you expect me to let that slide-"
"Are you still on that?" Steve blurted out, cutting him off. "First of all, Johnny killed Bob in self defense and died as a result of the events flowing that. So if anything, we have a right to be mad at our loss, not you. Second, Bob did that shit on his own drunken stupidity. And you were there. If you were any real friend, you wouldn't have let that happen."
And then, Randy went ape shit on us. Normally, we could've easily handled him, but the other 7 saw fit to jump us too. No I'll cut to the chase and skip the details: We lost. Last thing I remembered was the final blow to the middle of my face that led to my blackout.
[Thea Van Seijen]
I'm lost... without you
And I'm hurt... without you
Can't breathe... without you
But I'll rise... for you
"Uhhhh, wha- where- STEVE! STEVE! Someone Help!"
I screamed as I struggled to loose myself from the ropes that pinned me to the tree. As I looked around my surroundings, I realized this was the park that Pony said Bob died at. How ironic…
At first I was thinking what anyone else would think, 'How the fuck did I get here?', but then I remembered that I got knocked the hell out. My head hurt like mad and I could only sit and wonder where Steve was. I knew Darry would get worried after a while, so I was bound to be rescued by him or one of the gang, as I'm sure they'd help look for me too.
"Soda! SODA! I'm coming, Soda!"
It was Steve. I saw as he ran to my aid, screaming every step of the way, yet limping noticeably. Those Soc's must have got him good. I couldn't wait for him to free me, and he would have to, if it wasn't for that sickening sound I heard next:
"Come back here, white trash greaser!"
Shit.
The Soc's caught up to him when he was literally a few feet away from me. They beat him in front of me. It was diabolic. They were stomping on his stomach, kicking him in his already injured ribs, and driving the sole of their boots in his face. I fought and screamed and struggled to set myself free, but I couldn't do it. I felt one single tear drop from my eye as I watched my best friend suffer from Soc hostility. He finally showed signs of life as he got up and fought valiantly, managing to knock them all down for a split second. Then he did the stupidest thing I've ever seen someone do.
He ran to me.
I'll fight for you
I'll strike for you
I'll win for you
Until the end
"Steve! Stop, what are you doing? Run! You can escape! They're bound to get back up!"
"No," he said, blood trickling out of his mouth as he moved his lips. He fumbled with the ropes that bound me as I lay there helpless, until they got back up. They pried him off and beat him back down. I was now literally chewing on the hard ropes in a pitiful attempt to save my friend, but it was useless. I had to watch them destroy my best friend. The beating went on until Randy pulled out his switchblade and held it to his neck. He looked to me and addressed me:
"You see now," he said, a sadistic smile gracing his lips. "Because of you, I lost my best friend. Now, you lose yours. Karma is a motherfucker."
I'll fight for you
I'll survive for you
I'll win for you
Until the end
Until the ennnnnnd
Until the ennnnnnd
I broke out into a complete sob once he slightly slid the blade down his jaw line, drawing blood. It looked devastatingly painful from how deep he cut, but Steve was too delirious to even react. He was on the brink of unconsciousness, trying desperately to keep holding on just to free me. I yelled and screamed now, as they looked at me with hate and superiority. Randy then thrust the knife into Steve's upper leg, waking him up as he screamed aloud in pain. Randy then aimed the knife at his chest, right above the heart. I had to do something, but what could I do? Randy saw his best friend die, and he wanted someone else to be in his shoes.
"Randy! Stop! Please!" I yelled as my voice cracked with sobs and teardrops now drenched my face.
"Why?" He yelled back viciously. "Bob is dead, all because of greasers."
"Randy, Bob died in a sick turn of events. If it was up to me, nobody would have died. But he and Johnny are dead. It happened and there's nothing we can do about it."
"Yes I can, I can make you pay-"
"I can't fucking control time, Randy! I don't have a fucking magical machine I could hop into and save our friends! Revenge is pointless. Johnny killed Bob out of self-defense, now their both dead. Hasn't enough blood been shed?"
He seemed to think it over then walked to me. His face was a complete mixture of emotions.
"You don't know how it feels to have to watch the one you love die in cold blood…" he trailed off and teardrops rolled off his face.
"Randy, I'm a greaser. My best friends get attacked daily. I lost both my parents. My brothers and I can barely maneuver the State to stay together. My brother's best friend died and he himself almost lost his sanity after the death. I'm a dropout. You see? I now pain. I know how you feel, and worse. I've been where you've been, and farther. We all have problems, and I know problems, trust me. This isn't gonna solve anything. Your best friend is gone. You lost Bob. You had to watch him be killed in less than a second from a fatal blade strike. But you're gonna make me watch you systematically drain my best friend's life away? Don't do this to me, Randy. You still have so much to live for, but Steve is one of the few things I have left."
I honestly didn't think it'd work, but it did. He cried some more before cutting my ropes. I ran past him and straight to Steve. I hear Randy mumble an apology as I passed, but that wasn't important. What was important right now was Steve.
I'll fight for you
I'll strike for you
I'll win for you
Until the end
The other Soc's cleared out of the way for me to reach my friend. I immediately dropped to my feet as I raised his limp head into my arms. He faintly opened his eyes and looked at me with a weak smile.
"Why?" I asked through my tears.
"You…you're… my friend… best… friend… I wanted to fight for you…. It's what….it's what we do…have to…save you… they were… gonna…kill you… and me… You're welcome…"
I smiled a bit at him making light of the situation Two-Bit style like that. I still held him as rain started to fall over us. I hoped this wasn't the cliché I thought it was where the supporting character dies in the hero's arms…
"Remember…when…I asked you… all those questions…about…Soc… friends…"
"Yeah," I said to him. "Why?"
"Randy and Bob…they… they can…be…the friends…the only ones…in Soc's… he loved…Bob… enough to kill…for him… in his name…"
I didn't answer him. I couldn't, I was too choked up on my tears.
"Soda…I…would…do… the same…"
"Do what?"
"Fight for you… die… for you… too…"
He leaned back and lost consciousness. I frantically leaned my ear to his chest and thanked God that he was still alive, but just knocked out, or more like in a coma. He was bleeding profusely from many different parts of his body, he was seriously bruised, he has stab wounds, his ribs were most likely broken…again…but at least he was still here. He was hurt, but it didn't matter though, as I still had my best friend. The best friend I could ever have. One who would die for me.
I'll fight for you!
I will kill for you!
Until the ennnnnnd...